Huckabee's Pledge to Go Positive Falls Flat

As Iowa's presidential caucuses approach, Republican candidate Mike Huckabee has pledged to go positive in his campaign, but he appears to have had a change of heart just before a press conference. Despite saying he would not air attack ads against opponent Mitt Romney, Huckabee went on to play a negative ad against his rival. This move has been met with skepticism from both Romney's campaign and the media.

Key Takeaways:

• Huckabee pledged not to respond to attack ads in kind, but instead went on to play a negative ad against Romney during a press conference.
• The ad, which accused Romney of dishonest attacks, was aired despite Huckabee's earlier claim that he would only promote positive ads.
• Romney's campaign quickly responded to the move, accusing Huckabee of a "meltdown" and saying it shows he's not ready to be president.
• Huckabee justified the move by saying he wanted to show reporters the ad, as some might have questioned its existence.
• The press conference was attended by the national media, including TV, radio, and newspaper outlets.

Statistics:

• 10 minutes before the press conference, Huckabee decided to change his approach and announce his decision to go positive.
• 1 attack ad was played during the press conference, despite Huckabee's earlier pledge to refrain from airing them.
• 1 hour before the press conference, Huckabee's campaign pulled the attack ad from TV stations.
• 12 cameras captured the event for live broadcast and recording.
• 1 dozen or more reporters were present at the press conference to cover the event.

Sources:

• NPR News, "Huckabee Pledges Not to Go Negative in Iowa Campaign"
• NPR News, "Romney Campaign Calls Huckabee's Move a 'Meltdown'"